It’s been a passion of mine that people with disabilities have a say in the way they are able to experience the world. For too long, we have been expected to be passive observers of life.
I have been silent for 13 years, and my voice – my life – have become the advocacy I needed. Now that I’m able to communicate, I can’t stop raising the topics near and dear to me, like presuming competence and allowing people with disabilities to be active participants in the decisions that affect their futures.
I remember standing on the corner of a busy NYC street and thinking how close I came to missing that beautiful frenetic that lives in that amazing city. That energy lives inside me too! I want to travel the world and see everything it has to offer. That [Odd Fellows] trip made me realize that with the right supports, anyone can experience that vibe too.
In the future, I want to do everything anyone else wants: to go to college, get a girlfriend, have a job, go to a bar for fun, and live in my own apartment. It’s going to look a little different, and I’ll need support in getting there, but I know I will some day.
niko boskovic 